Keeping the postal service up & running, one stamp at a time. Usually silly, sometimes cranky, occasionally a mix of the two.

The Fussbudget Goes Overseas: Sent to Japan, Malaysia, & Thailand

Four off on their way to Asia! The two cards on the left, featuring famous fussbudget Lucy Van Pelt, are both going to Japan in separate Postcrossing Forum tag trades.

The top one goes to Tokyo, Japan, thanks to a Snoopy/Peanuts tag, and the one below it goes to Osaka, in a “Studio Ghibli/something from your wishlist” trade. No, Peanuts is not part of Studio Ghibli. That is what someone will be sending ME. I purchased both of these cards at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California, the only source for Peanuts cards that I’ve come across here in the U.S. I told both of these recipients that I love these versions of the characters; the original ’50s/’60s (but really mostly just ’50s) versions–complete with Snoopy on all fours–are my very favorite looks for the Peanuts gang.

The two cards on the right are regular Postcrossing draws, and how lucky am I? Two rare destinations in Asia: Malaysia & Thailand! Both cards are pulled from the Disappointassortment, but only because the Postcrossers expressed an interest in the general themes depicted. The book card goes to someone in Bangkok, Thailand, because she was interest in book/reading-related cards, and it is this card that is the problem. The manufacturers of this line of cards saw fit to coat the back of many of them in a somewhat-glossy finish that, as you can see by peering at my scans below, ruins stamped impressions one makes on them: the ink immediately blurs/smears. Also, not all writing implements can stand up to this surface, but mine is fortunately up to the task. It’s a shame I did not notice the surface before stamping, because that mailbox & fish look like h-ck. Compare them to the versions immediately below, on the card bound for Selangor, Malaysia.